Testimonials

“I have been involved with the martial arts for over 20 years now and for the first time in my life I feel a true confidence in my ability to defend myself in any hand-to-hand combat situation. It is the practical battle tested techniques that Mickey Swafford teaches which will allow anyone interested in self-defense to attain a real level of combat proficiency.”
Robin Clark – Fmr. US Army – Cookeville, TN

“I have been a police officer, and have worked security in night clubs for 8yrs. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu has helped me control individuals in a way that is non-violent. This helps protect both my employer, as well as, my self from possible lawsuits.”
Jamie Garrett – Bouncer – Cookeville, TN

“I have been employed as a law enforcement officer for 12 years. I have had the opportunity to attend numerous training sessions that covered self-defense, defensive tactics and force continuum. It has been my experience that most confrontational situations occurred when face to face and in close proximity to the aggressor. Usually these types of confrontations end up on the ground. Due to being female, and because of my size and strength disadvantage, I am put at a disadvantage with most aggressive attackers. I began training in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu approximately 1 year ago. In studying and applying the concepts of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu I have discovered no matter the weight, size, or gender of your attacker, the techniques applied correctly would give you the advantage and ability to disable your attacker. I have studied and trained in other martial arts and have found Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to be the most practical in a realistic confrontational situation. The training has also conditionedme mentally and physically. I recommend Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to all my colleges and friends.”

Yvette Demming – Cookeville Police Department – Cookeville, TN

“I have trained traditional martial arts for several years, but after only one Gracie Jiu-Jitsu class I realized that I had given myself a false sense of security concerning my ability to defend myself in a real life altercation. It did not make sense to keep training in styles that were not practical for real life situations. That is why after only one GJJ class, I dropped all other styles and devoted myself to GJJ. The reality is that the majority of all fights end up on the ground, and that is where a Gracie Jiu-jitsu student thrives. Gracie jiu-jitsu is especially beneficial for those of us small in stature. The principals of GJJ revolve around body positioning and leverage which give a smaller person the skills needed to defend against much larger attackers. As a smaller person, and someone who has experience with a variety of other marital arts, I can assure you that for me Gracie Jiu-jitsu is hands down the single most practical and effective self-defense system in the world. When training under Mr. Swafford you will have access to a wealth of GJJ knowledge. Mr. Swafford has a unique ability to teach the techniques so that anyone can learn. Outside of the top notch instruction, and more importantly Mr. Swafford genuinely cares about the well being of his students, and wants to pass his wealth of knowledge on to others. I consider Mr. Swafford as my mentor, and I have 100% faith in him, and his ability to teach GJJ.” Nathan Hale – Communicable Disease Specialist – Cookeville, TN

“I’ve been training with Mickey Swafford for the last two years and in my experience I have never seen a defensive tactic system as effective as Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve been an officer for almost 10 years and served in the military prior to that. This system provides safety for the officer as well as the suspect without compromising effectiveness. No other system can realistically make this claim. The additional benefits to training this system are amazing physical conditioning, stress relief, confidence and the privilege of being around some first class people that are excellent at what they do.” Officer Brad Sperry - Cookeville Police Department – Cookeville, TN

“What I value most about Mickey's instruction is that it is not enough for him to simply show a technique. He truly cares about whether I understand why I am doing the technique a certain way and gives me immediate feedback on whether I'm performing the technique correctly. He has outstanding knowledge of a style of jiu-jitsu which enables someone like me to defend against much larger and stronger aggressors and teaches in an easy to follow step by step manner. The extra rare step he takes by focusing on the individual is the mark of an excellent teacher and a caring person who realizes the importance of properly giving you the tools you need to defend yourself and your family. I am fortunate to have his help in my study of jiu-jitsu.” Steven Abood – Attorney – Atlanta, GA